


One Eye Predator, One Eye Prey

by WickedMuses



Series: A New World [2]
Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games)
Genre: Dubious Consent, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-27 08:49:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20757626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedMuses/pseuds/WickedMuses
Summary: The Field Team Leader takes an interest in a Fifth Fleet Huntress.More a reason to write smut than anything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Starts in chapter 4.





	1. A is for Anjanath

Not what he had expected.

That was Field Team Leader's first thought when he saw her.

His grandfather had described her as a hunter skilled enough to be called prodigious and he was well aware that hunting wasn't solely about strength, but he had expected her to be...taller? More muscular maybe? He wasn't entirely sure; he couldn't put his finger on it.

She wasn't a waif by any stretch of the word. Wearing only the standard under armor outfit, her lithe arms and legs were on full display as was her toned stomach and she was obviously athletic if the way she skirted around the dueling Great Jagras and Anjanath was any indication.

“The rest of the Fifth are already here,” he said as his eyes trailed slowly up her figure, stopping for a moment to appreciate her round backside as she and her handler walked ahead of him. As she turned to face him he diverted his gaze quickly to her face.“You're the last to arrive.”

She was pretty; was his next conclusion. Dark skin like cocoa, burnished wavy black hair that trailed down her back and looked almost blue in the bright sunlight; her left eye was just as dark as the rest of her; an inky pool where iris was indistinguishable from pupil, but her right was a striking golden amber that caught him off guard.

Before he could continue, a loud exclamation had them all turning toward a young man with fiery red hair as he jogged over to them followed by a more composed young woman, his handler evidently.

“You made it!” The excitable A-lister grinned. “Man, you guys had us sweating bullets! Had it rough, huh?”

“We're glad you guys are alive,” his handler added. “When we couldn't find you we got worried. We were about to come looking for you.”

“All's well that ends well.” The cheerful handler smiled.

A shout for assistance called the pair away once more and the Field Team Leader continued his impromptu tour of the Astera tradeyard.

They passed the stockpile and fishmongers and when he caught a glimpse of his grandfather he asked them to wait while he approached the Commander.

When he returned he was followed by the older man.

Despite his grey hair and the age lines on his face, the Commander did just that. Commanded attention with his presence. Upon seeing the two women, he nodded approvingly.

“Welcome to Astera. I'm glad to see you made it, somehow I knew you would though.” he said grinning. “ Your reputations proceed you; I expect great things from the both of you.”

“You can count on us.” the Handler cheered. The Huntress simply nodded resolutely.

The Commander went over a few details before the time came when he had to excuse himself to other business.

“And before I forget.” He added as he was walking away. “Your furry friend was looking for you. Poor thing washed up on shore not too long ago. Have a look around Astera, the horn will sound when its time for the council meeting.”

The Field Team Leader proceeded to give them the grand tour of Astera and he explained how his grandfather was with the First Fleet and how he was native born in the New World. He showed him the smithy and the lost Palico was located at the canteen.

After a joyful reunion the Handler tossed out the idea that they should grab a bite, but the sound of a loud horn dashed the idea and they made their way to gather at the council table.

Once the mission statement had been laid out, introductions made and everyone was dismissed, it was up to him to show the two to their quarters. Not wasting time, the hungry handler stowed her things and excused herself to grab the aforementioned bite with the Palico in tow. Comments outlining how she could eat a whole Aptonoth and the Palico's agreeable meows faded into the distance as they departed.

Now that it was just the two of them he took another appraisal of the huntress that had been personally requested by his grandfather.

A good 15 cm shorter than him, she had to look up when he addressed her. With her face in the light he took note of her plump lips and a small scar that ran under her right eye. He briefly wondered how she got it. Maybe it was a similar story to how he got his.

He did know a few things about them. The Commander had dossiers on all the Fifth Fleet members and both the Huntress and the Handler had been specifically requested so he'd taken a special interest in theirs.

The Handler's grandfather had been in the First Fleet as well. He'd heard tales of him from his teacher, the Huntsman. If the stories were accurate, the two were very similar in their enthusiasm and also apparently, their appetites.

The Huntress was an orphan, found by a hunter in a ravaged campsite and raised by the Guild. Approximately one year his junior, she'd gained quite a bit of acclaim despite her youth. A natural born hunter.

“Do you have any questions before I let you get settled in?” He asked. When she simply shook her head he let out a light chuckle. “You don't talk much do you?” In fact, he'd not heard her speak a single word since he'd found them out in the Ancient Forest.

He supposed the Handler spoke enough for the both of them.

The Huntress turned to face him before meaningfully putting her hand to her lips, then to her neck, before once again shaking her head.

His brow raised. That had not been mentioned in her file.

She was mute.

* * *

Over the next couple of months it became apparent to all why the duo had been hand picked to be part of the Fifth Fleet.

The Handler and the Huntress had innate skill and an unmatched zeal. Not a single day went by they didn't venture out on some expedition, investigation, or hunt.

They had an interesting dynamic that sometimes reminded the Field Team Leader of a theatrical performance. The Handler had a knack for finding new and intriguing things at the cost of repeatedly getting herself into dangerous, usually life threatening, situations. The Huntress was the straight man; plucking her partner from the claws of death time and again with a commendable patience. As they took down monsters one after another he had to admit he was impressed.

He told himself that that was the reason he caught himself watching her more and more often.

He saw her lack of speech did little to hinder her. Her persistent circle, consisting of her Palico, the excitable A-Lister, and their respective handlers, seemed to understand well enough her hand gestures and expressions. He'd picked up on a few of her traits as well in her regular interactions with him.

When she was upset she'd bite her bottom lip and exhale sharply from her nose like an angry Kelbi. When she was happy she'd subconsciously click her tongue. He didn't know which he found cuter.

While the Handler liked to eat after missions, the Huntress preferred to nap after a long hunt. More than once he'd stumbled upon her and her Palico at the overlook behind the workshop, dozing in the shade together. They were very close and at each others side constantly.

She had an enduring calm about herself, levelheaded in the face of the unexpected. He'd seen her go up against wyverns that had bested men twice her size and age.

Especially skilled in evasion, she danced around her prey, showering them with an unrelenting barrage from her light bowgun. She was the epitome of the term 'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.'

Admiration was the category in which he filed how he felt about the Huntress.

At least until a unlikely chance encounter in the Ancient Forest.

It was very early; past dusk but not yet dawn. Why he was out in the forest in the first place was lost to him in retrospect. The clarity of the memory encompassing an entirely different part.

There was an out of place sound that caught his attention, solitary tracks along the ground that didn't belong to any monster, a piqued curiosity. They all lead him to a hidden pool and a sight that'd be imprinted in his brain until he died.

He didn't know what the Huntress' reasons were.

He was sure there was a long list of places to bathe that presented a much shorter list of risks, but here she was at a time when everything else was sleeping, standing hip deep in a pool of crystalline blue water, completely naked save for the slinger bow around her wrist.

He swallowed hard. His mouth suddenly very dry.

With her back mostly to him he couldn't help but appreciate the perfect curve of her ass.

_'Gods above..'_

Taking an idle step backwards, his heel landed on a twig, snapping it.

In the blink of an eye the Huntress had spun around and fired a slinger shot towards the origin of the sound. It pinged the Field Team Leader right in his forehead and he dropped like the stone he'd been hit with.

When he came to, he was still on the forest floor with the Huntress kneeling over him, now clothed.

As he sat up and glanced at her he was met with an inquiring and slightly suspicious look and he held one hand up defensively and rubbed his forehead with the other.

“I heard a noise and came to investigate. I didn't think there were any other hunters out here at this hour.”

She tilted her head to the side and stared at him, as though deciding whether or not to believe him. She pointed at him, then herself, then his eyes and gave a questioning look.

She was asking if he'd seen anything.

He wondered if he should lie.

“I didn't see...” He hesitated. “...much.”

Her eyes widened and she turned away embarrassed.

“Hey, hey, it's no big deal.” He said trying to make light of the situation.

She swung back around, now looking irate.

She pointed at him again, almost poking him in the chest, gestured widely around the forest and its generally emptiness than back to him, shrugging expectantly with her hands.

**What are you even doing out here?** Is what she wanted to know.

“I could ask you the same question.” he replied, with one raised brow.

She bit her lip, huffed, and went to push past him, but he caught her by her upper arm halting her.

Her surprised gaze immediately shot to his face and his eyes were drawn to her slightly parted lips. He leaned in, close enough that for a moment it seemed as though he might kiss her. She smelled earthy and natural and all around intoxicating to him.

“Relax.” He whispered. “I won't tell a soul.”

Of course he wouldn't. This memory would be for him and him alone.

Upon returning home, he found himself replaying the interaction over in his head, particularly the beginning scene he had stumbled into.

How often did she go out there alone in the small hours? Now that he'd seen her, would she go again? He doubted it.

Once again he conjured the image to his mind, remembering her every line and curve that glistened in the moonlight. He extended the memory, fantasizing that she remained unaware to his presence. He imagined her continuing; trailing her hands along her body as rivulets of water ran down her skin and when the heat pooled in his groin and his hand went south he pictured her doing the same thing.

He cursed under his breath. The thought alone of her pleasuring herself almost drove him over the edge immediately. He slowed his pace, picturing her face, her eyes, her nose, her lips. Oh, those lips. He imagined those lips around him in place of his hand, so soft and warm. His pace sped up as he pictured her looking up at him through her long lashes as she took him in her mouth.

With a few more jerks he came with a low groan and fell back onto his bed cushion, letting out a disgruntled sigh. He couldn't deny it to himself now. This was certainly more than admiration.

* * *

To her credit, the Huntress treated him no differently after the incident. She was still friendly with him, still completed the missions he tasked her with, still laughed silently at his jokes; her shoulders shaking with mirth. Although every once in a while he noticed when he caught her eye she'd turn quickly away, her cheeks darkening further.

And to his credit, he'd kept his word and not told anyone that he'd seen her and he'd not gone back to the hidden pool despite how the urge would rise inside of him at night.

As the dynamic duo of the Fifth Fleet dealt with one threat after another, even taking down elder dragons like Nergigante and Vaal Hazak, he watched as their fame grew and for a time it seemed like they were unstoppable.

So when the Field Team Leader heard news that'd she'd been seriously injured fighting a Teostra, for a moment he didn't believe it.

Then he saw people gathering at the entrance to Astera and he felt his stomach drop.

The Hunstman had brought her back. She looked so small in his arms, unconscious and wrapped in bandages. The Handler explained what happened, how the Huntress had struck the finishing blow on the Teostra only to have it strike out in its death throes and catch her off guard.

That was the day the Field Team Leader realized she wasn't as invincible as she seemed and for three days she did not wake.

She had visitors almost constantly. Her Handler, the Commander, the A-Lister...

Her Palico hardly left her side.

He waited until they'd all gone before finally visiting her himself.

He pulled a stool over to the bedside and sat down.

She looked peaceful.

He lightly traced his fingers over her brow, moving stray obsidian strands to side careful of the bruise that mottled the skin there.

How could someone so strong look so fragile, he wondered. She was the last person who needed protection, but he found himself wanting to keep her safe.

His eyes traced over her face. Over her long lashes down the curve of her nose to her full lips that he thought about more than was healthy. He knew they'd be just as soft as they looked though he resisted from testing his theory.

Continuing their exploration, his eyes followed the line of her throat, over her collarbone, down to her chest, which rose and fell with her even breathing.

What would he have done if she'd died? The question hit his mind like a rock through a window.

Before, the idea had never even occurred to him, so confident was he in her abilities, but she was still human like the rest of them. Just as exposed to risk as any hunter was, if not more so considering how often she and her partners were utilized.

The thought of it was a ball of ice in his gut. No. He wouldn't let that happen.

That was the moment that the Field Team Leader realized his feelings were more than admiration or infatuation. Though what to do with this new revelation eluded him.

On the third day she awoke to everyone's relief, though she was barred from any expedition or investigation for another two weeks. It was during this time that The Field Team Leader first experienced the restlessness of the Huntress.

He heard tales of it from the excitable A-Lister and others. The journey across the ocean wasn't a short one and apparently the Huntress had only made it seem longer. Evidently, she did not do well with being cooped up.

According to the A-Lister's serious handler, she'd walk the length of the ship several times before breakfast visiting every post and trying to provide assistance until she was shooed away by the exasperated sailors. She'd train on the weather deck for hours long after everyone else had called it quits and pestered the navigator and lookout constantly, inquiring on when they'd make landfall.

According to the A-Lister himself there had been whispered plans of throwing her overboard, but he took that story with a grain of salt.

Now restricted to the confines of Astera the calm hunter he was accustom to was gone. In her place, a frenetic woman deprived of her usual energy outlet.

Within a matter of days the Commander was getting complaints. After a week he told his grandson to deal with it.


	2. B is for Bazelgeuse

Two weeks.

Two. Whole. Weeks.

Just the thought of it drove the Huntress crazy.

The woman had trained to be a hunter her whole life, was practically raised on expeditions, brought down her first Rathian when she was thirteen. She lived the hunt, breathed the wilds. How did they expect her to accept this?

She appealed to the Commander first. Silently pleaded with him, but he remained steadfast in her grounding. She wasn't fully healed and if she were to re injure herself it could be a serious problem. They needed her, but they needed her at 100 percent.

She went to the Admiral next, expecting a kindred spirit to be more sympathetic to her plight, but he gruffly echoed the Commander, even though she could see in his eyes he understood her pain.

As there was still work to be done, her Palico and handler were not similarly confined to the settlement and continued to go out daily, leaving her alone to her misery.

One week in and she was at her wit's end.

She'd cleaned and rearranged her room several times, got kicked out of both the smithy and canteen for over providing assistance, modified her gun to its full potential, and even tried her hand at gardening much to the Chief Botanist's chagrin. Green, her thumb was not.

Currently she was rummaging around a dusty storeroom in one of the many decommissioned ships that made up the bones of Astera. It was obvious that no one had been in here in years and she was seeing if there were any old interesting things in the many wooden boxes kept there.

So far she had found an old stuffed moofah doll, a torn up book about fishing, and something that may have once been jerky, but mostly cobwebs.

“So this is where you've been?”

Completely absorbed in her activity, she hadn't realized anyone had entered the room. She pulled herself from the crate she'd been digging through and turned towards the Field Team Leader.

“When I stopped getting complaints I got worried you'd snuck out.” He chuckled leaning against the door frame.

She rolled her eyes and threw the doll at him, which he easily caught. Though it let out a puff of dust that had him wrinkling his nose.

“I had something like this when I was a kid.” he mused before setting it on top of the box next to him. “I heard you made a bit of a mess in Ecological Research.”

The Huntress took a seat on an unopened crate and gave him an abashed look.

She put her palms together then opened them at the top. **Books. **She waved her hands, motioning all around. **Messy everywhere.**

Then pointed to herself and signed like she was counting things in a row. **I organized.**

“The Chief Ecologist would disagree.”

She crossed her arms defensively and pouted.

He crossed the room until he was right in front of her. With her seated she was eye level with his chest, though she tried not to let the proximity bother her, she felt her cheeks heat up a little at how close he was. Why did he have to have his chest bare like that? Hardly Commission standard.

She pulled her gaze away from the exposed skin and looked up at him expectantly. With her eyes alone the inquiry was obvious. **What do you want?**

“I'm thinking if I leave you to your own devices you're going to turn this place upside down looking for something to do.”

She huffed and looked away helplessly. Did they want her to just sit in a chair all day and do nothing? She'd explode!

He leaned in with a smirk.'“I think you need a better way to work off all that energy.”

When she turned back to him with a questioning look his mouth was suddenly on hers.

Startled, she automatically tried to pull away but his hand came up behind her head and held her still. The unfamiliar sensation of his tongue pushing past her lips froze her in place. It dipped past her teeth, twisted around her own tongue and then it was gone.

The Field Team Leader straightened up again, but didn't take his eyes off her as she sat, still in shock. Had she not already been mute, she would've been speechless.

What the hell just happened?

“Tomorrow I'll take you outside the gate.” His voice was husky like she'd never heard it before and his eyes were dark with a look that sent a shiver through her. “I'm sure my grandfather won't have any qualms if I escort you.”

And with that he turned on his heel and left.

It took another moment for her to process what had just occurred. She brought her fingers up to her still tingling lips idly.

That had been her first kiss.

Growing up she didn't have time for boys or relationships. She cared about hunting. Improving her skill and not much else. Constantly called single minded by her peers she was considered unapproachable by most males her age. It had never really bothered her, but she'd missed out on a few milestones many women probably would have experienced by now. Kissing being one of them.

As she regained her senses her mind had finally registered his parting words.

_'Wait.. he's going to what?'_

* * *

She didn't sleep that night.

Instead she sat out by her small pond idly stirring the water with her toes, thinking. She still wasn't sure how she felt about what happened. Debated on whether she should go with him tomorrow.

She absentmindedly clicked her tongue at the thought of being able to go out into the Ancient Forest again.

Of all the new places she explored, it was her favorite because it reminded her of the forest back home, where she could walk the wood with her eyes closed so familiar were its trees and paths to her.

The immigration over was a nightmare, but the New World was a dream.

After a few minutes she stood up and slid the robe she wore off her body before stepping into the pool.

The cool water came up to just under her breasts and she sighed contentedly before sinking down until her shoulders were submerged. She loved bathing outside. Something about being naked under the open sky made her feel like she was more connected with the world in which she resided. The world of hunter and hunted, of nature and its natural order.

When her accommodations had been changed for the third time she had nearly jumped in joy at the sight of the open air garden with its marble pillars, emerald foliage, and sparkling azure pond.

She had become accustom to sneaking out into the forest every few days or so to bathe in the hidden pool she'd discovered by chance while on a hunt.

It'd become one of her favorite traditions until the day that man had caught her.

She sunk down further until the cool wetness rose over her heated cheeks.

Goldenfry flitted just under the surface of the water and she watched as their scales caught the limited light of the nearby torches making them glitter like coins. The Field Team Leader was friendly and courageous. He wasn't bad looking but she had never focused on looks. Looks didn't matter out in the field and it would be accurate to say that looking for a potential mate had been just as low on her priority list as it had ever been, if not lower, with a whole new land to explore.

But after that night things were.. different.

She couldn't be around him without thinking of that night. When he leaned in so close she thought their lips might touch and she could feel his warm breath fan over her as he promised to keep it secret, which he had, to the best of her knowledge. Now he actually _had_ kissed her and she thought she'd go deaf with how loud her heart had been beating against her rib cage.

She screwed her eyes shut and dunked her head under the water completely, scaring away the goldenfry. When she reemerged she took a deep breathe let it out again slowly.

She had made her decision.


	3. C is for Cortos

He didn't sleep that night.

What the hell was he thinking?

He had not gone in with intentions of kissing her, even when he entered the dusty old storeroom and found her; ass in the air and her upper half in a wooden crate.

Yes, he had taken a moment to appreciate the view before alerting her to his presence. Honestly she was lucky he hadn't taken her right there over the crate like his primal instinct urged him to.

But even after that, his plan was merely to surprise her with the opportunity to go out into the field again. He was sure she'd like that even if it did require having a chaperon.

But then she had looked up at him with those big mismatched eyes and those lips in that sweet little pout and he lost it. He had to feel them; had to taste them.

It was over too quickly, but he knew if he continued any longer he wouldn't be able to stop.

The Huntress hadn't looked angry, though she didn't look happy either. He wasn't sure how to interpret her stunned response.

Would she even want to be around him now?

He cursed his impulsiveness but couldn't bring himself to regret it. Not when she had tasted so damn good.

He groaned. What was she doing to him?

* * *

The sun had just barely gotten over the horizon and the Huntress was already leaning against the large tusk-like bones that made up the main gate of Astera.

It was another fifteen minutes or so before she caught sight of the Field Team Leader.

Judging by his facial expression he was surprised she showed up, but she wasn't going to let a kiss keep her from the call of the wild.

She gave him a blithe smile and a small wave, rocking eagerly back and forth on her heels.

“You're looking bright eyed and bushy tailed.” He commented with a raised brow.

She just shrugged and headed out the gate, practically skipping.

“Woah now, just a moment there.” He halted her with his words and she turned back towards him with an impatient look.

“I know you're chomping at the bit, but we're not just going out for a stroll here and there are a few conditions.”

He tossed her a small burlap sack.

“We'll be collecting herbs while we're out. We don't engage any creatures no matter what size, you stay in my sight, and we're back by midday.” He said, ticking the rules off his fingers as he listed them. “Any questions?”

She shook her head and took off like a child let out to play and he followed after wondering if he may have gotten himself in over his head.

As they walked through the forest she would run her hands over the bark of the trees she passed, like greeting friends and as they foraged he saw she knew of caves and trails he thought only he was privy to. The forest was obviously just as much her home as Astera was and he wondered if she would go back to the Old World once their mission was complete.

He frowned at the thought of her departing back across the sea. That very thing had ended his last two relationships.

They'd been relatively casual flings, nothing too serious, and both had ended on good terms. They simply had family back in the Old World and had never intended to stay in the New World indefinitely. He couldn't fault them that.

The Huntress was different. Her Palico was the closest thing to family that she had. The mystery of the Elder Crossing was unraveling and the Commission's time in the New World was coming to an end. They'd have the choice to stay, but would she?

Maybe there was someone else waiting for her back in the Old World; not family. A lover perhaps?

He didn't even realize he was scowling until a light touch on his arm pulled him from his thoughts.

She was looking at him concerned and curious, but he just waved his hand dismissively. “It's nothing.”

She didn't think he was being honest, but she didn't want to pry so she left it at that.

They were fortunate in that the only wyvern they encountered was a Kulu Ya-Ku which was more than happy to leave them alone in favor of keeping the egg it had scavenged from some unfortunate herbivore's nest.

By midday they'd collected enough herbs to fill their sacks and the Huntress was clicking her tongue happily as they made their way back home.

“I''ll drop these off where they're needed.” He told her, taking her proffered bag. “Tomorrow we'll collect mushrooms.”

And so they did.

Mushrooms, beetles, flowers...

Each day they met at the gate, went out, and collected supplies until midday.

She was always there first; without fail.

So on the second to last day before she'd be free to return to hunting, when she showed up at the gate only to see someone already there it threw her for a loop.

The Huntsman had been sitting, but he stood when she approached and gave her a nod in greeting which she returned.

“I'll be your escort today.” He explained, seeing her bemusement. “The boy's been slacking on a few of his duties so he's been put to work to catch up, but he was very insistent that someone come take you out to the forest.”

The Huntress felt blood rise to her cheeks. He made it sound like she was some Poogie that needed to be taken for walks!

The indignation morphed into embarrassment however as the realization slowly sunk in.

That's exactly what she was!

She couldn't help but cover her face in mortification. How did she not see how selfish she had been? Was being?

He was the Field Team Leader. Obviously he had better more important things to do than waste his entire morning picking flowers with her just so she could play outside like a spoiled child.

The urge to hide in shame writhed in her gut and she excused herself from the Huntsman without explanation. The veteran hunter watched her departing figure. He didn't think she was coming back.

He merely grunted and returned to his own business. “Young people...”

She spent the remainder of her day in her room thinking.

Tomorrow was the last day of her restrictions. She knew she should suck it up and find something in the settlement to pass her time, like a proper adult, but she found herself unwilling to give up her last jaunt in the forest with him.

She wasn't allowed to hunt sure, but in the last few days she realized how much she enjoyed their supply runs and how much she enjoyed his company.

His easygoing personality and talent for telling stories made filling the expect-able silence simple. He was especially good regaling her with funny stories that left her shaking in mute giggles.

She bit her lip and rolled over on her bed. She needed to make it up to him somehow.


	4. D is for Deviljho

The Field Team Leader had heard about what had occurred from his mentor and just like the first day, found himself wondering if she'd be there waiting.

Upon approaching the gate he was disappointed to see no one around. Maybe she was angry that he'd not come himself yesterday? He figured she'd be happy as long as she'd be free to roam the forest.

He was about to leave, but when he turned around there she was.

She was smiling and holding her hands behind her back, obviously concealing something.

He raised a brow and leaned over as she approached to try to see what it could be, but she skirted around him, keeping it out of view. Still smiling she walked backwards toward the gate, indicating with a nod of her head that he should follow.

**You'll see soon enough.** Her eyes said.

He chuckled at her playfulness and followed after, intrigued.

As they walked through the forest she kept her hands out of sight. And when the Huntress finally halted the Field Team Leader realized they were by the hidden pool where he'd caught her bathing.

Keeping one hand behind her back she put her other one over her eyes for a moment then looked at him and jerked her chin in his direction.

**Close your eyes.**

He rolled his eyes, but obliged her nonetheless. He was curious to see what she possible could have gotten him. Maybe a stuffed moofah.

Once his eyes were shut the Huntress let her empty hands drop to her sides and took in a slow deep breath, trying to calm the violent fluttering in her chest. Step one was complete. Step two was a little trickier for her.

Taking another shaky breath, she stepped forward until she was right in front of him, their chests almost touching.

For just a moment she studied him; his chiseled jaw and the scars that ran along the sides of his face that only enhanced his looks.

She gulped inaudibly and before she could lose her nerve she leaned up on her tiptoes and quickly pressed her lips to his.

His eyes shot open immediately, but he didn't move, frozen in shock just as she had been several days ago.

After a moment she ended the chaste kiss, stepping away with her heart in her throat, waiting for his response.

He was just staring at her with an indiscernible expression and she couldn't help the self consciousness that began to creep through her.

Was that the wrong thing to do? Had she misread him? He had kissed her first, after all. She thought his interest was a pretty safe guess but maybe his feelings had changed since then? Was he angry? The dark look in his eyes seemed to say so.

Her frenzied thoughts came to a sudden halt when the Field Team Leader took a step forward and then another and she found herself actually intimidated by him for the first time as he stared down at her with a scorching look.

His hand came up and she involuntarily flinched, shutting her eyes.

The next thing she felt was his large calloused palm, gently cupping her cheek.

“Look at me.”

His voice was a low growl and she hesitantly looked up at him. She opened her mouth to apologize, as though she could speak, but even if any noise had managed to come out, it would have only been swallowed as the Field Team Leader claimed her lips.

His intensity took her breath away.

Like a starving man, he devoured her, slipping his tongue between her teeth to aggressively caress her own and weaving his fingers through her hair to keep her in place his other arm wrapping firmly around her waist.

She followed his lead, having virtually no experience of her own to speak of and tentatively flicked her tongue against his, earning her a deep groan from the him.

He wondered if she knew what a dangerous game she was playing. Wondered if he should stop things before they went too far, but his positive reaction had encouraged the Huntress and she did it again. This time slower before leaning back and giving him a genuinely coy look.

Any thoughts the Field Team Leader may have had of letting her go before he was done with her vanished from his mind completely.

She gasped as she was suddenly pushed back against the mossy bark of a tree and his mouth was on her again. He pressed his body against hers, still holding her head with one hand and the other snaking down to her backside.

He squeezed the firm flesh and moved his left leg between her knees grinding upward and feeling immense satisfaction at the noticeable shiver that ran through the smaller hunter's body.

Unlike the Field Team Leader, who wore his full standard set of armor, the Huntress wore merely a worn leather tunic and breeches and when they parted to breathe he finally released her long enough to hastily remove his belt to put them on more even ground.

He was loathe to leave her lips for long however, quickly returning to them before planting kisses along her jaw line, down her neck, and along her collar bone. She panted breathlessly in his ear and placed her hands against his exposed chest as he continued to grind his thigh against her core.

She couldn't whimper; couldn't moan. Couldn't make any of the noises that would express what she was feeling, but her body language said everything she couldn't.

She was writhing with his every movement, her eyes shut in pleasure. Her sensitivity and responsiveness was driving him crazy.

His hand left her ass and slowly made its way up her side and under her top to find her breast. He kneaded the soft flesh and ran the pad of his thumb over her hardening nipple making her squirm delightfully.

_ Gods! _He'd never been this damn hard in his entire life!

He wanted to savor every part of this moment, wanted it to last, but his control was slipping.

Without warning, and so quick the Huntress had little time to process what had happened, he had pulled her away from the tree and had her on her back against the forest floor before climbing on top of her.

Her pushed the front of her tunic up to finally get a look at what he'd been fantasizing about for months. He wasn't disappointed. They were a perfect handful for him and he marveled at the contrast between her satin skin and his rough hands. He dropped his head down to her chest and nuzzled between the two soft mounds before taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking on it.

He heard the Huntress gasp as she grabbed the fur of his collar.

With his hands free he explored her body, running his fingers over her chest, her rib cage, her belly button...

He pulled at the tie on the front of her pants, loosening the knot before hooking his fingers in the waistline and slowly pulling them down her legs then finally off. He stopped licking at her chest so he could lean back and admire every inch of dark skin revealed.

So focused was he on his task that he didn't see the look of uncertainty that now ran across the Huntress' flushed features.

Her underwear was next, carelessly thrown into the foliage as the Field Team Leader eagerly exposed her, practically licking his lips at the sight.

He frowned when she clamped her thighs together, blocking her from his view.

He'd be damned if he was going to be thwarted now. He'd been imagining this very moment almost every damn night, generating scenario after scenario that led to exactly this, and now she was before him, completely at his mercy.

Oh no. She was his prey now and he was not letting her get away.

“A little late for timidity, honey.” he huffed, putting his hands on her knees and pushing them apart.

Keeping a iron grip on her legs, he began kissing down her thigh, farther and farther down until reached his prize.

Her breath hitched as he probed her with his tongue. He could feel tremors running through her as she ineffectively pushed at his shoulders.

When that didn't have the desired effect she grabbed his hair.

His attentions turned to that little button of nerves and the Huntress thought she might burst. She yanked so hard at his scalp he thought she would rip his hair out.

Her back arched as she felt something akin to an energy building, like a spring winding up inside her.

Right before it snapped, the Field Team Leader stopped and the Huntress felt a confusing mixture of relief and disappointment.

Grinning at the Huntress' confused look, he reached up to remove her grip from his hair, bringing her wrists down on either side of her head.

“Don't worry, I'm not done with you yet.”

He leaned down and kissed her again, sucking on her bottom lip gently before moving to her jawline and down the the juncture between her neck and shoulder.

Positioned between her parted legs, he pressed against her and her heart skipped a beat, worry returning full force. When had he freed himself from his pants? She didn't know if she was ready for quite this much. Perhaps she was naive, but she honestly didn't think it would progress this far.

She expected kissing. Maybe some heavy petting.

She had never...

But he didn't know that, and with his head buried in the crook of her neck and her hands pinned down, she had no way of communicating her concern to him.

A concern, it would seem, that was well founded.

When he pushed into her without warning, she cried out silently at the swift intrusion, her inner walls trying to stretch enough to accommodate him.

For a moment he didn't move and she could feel his hot breath on her shoulder as he grit his teeth. She hoped he would remain still.

“Fuck.” he cursed in a low voice. “You feel _so fucking good._”

And with that he started pumping into her.

She choked on the air in her throat.

_Wait_

She wasn't prepared.

_Please_

He was too big.

_Stop_

Going too fast.

Once again she tried to free her wrists, but they didn't budge. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as he thrust into her with abandon, moaning so low it sounded more a growl.

If only he'd look her in the face!

Desperate to get his attention the Huntress latched on to his shoulder with her teeth and bit down hard. The effect produced was not the one she expected however, as it only seemed to spur him on more.

His pace somehow managed to increase and she felt like she was being ripped apart. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and cursed her inability to free herself from his much stronger grasp.

As he bucked his hips against her her, deepening every thrust, she felt the pain slowly begin to numb and a familiar feeling building up again.

Her breathe was coming out in short gasps as tears freely flowed down her cheeks now.

He was hitting something, deep inside her, and every time he did she saw stars.

The spring was coiling tighter and tighter.

Her hands clenched into fists, her toes curled, and it snapped.

Once again she bit into his shoulder as wave after wave of her orgasm washed over her. His grip on her wrists tightened to bruising levels but she hardly noticed.

His movements were becoming frenzied and he felt like he was burning up inside. As he neared his completion he wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her to the hilt as he came.

Using every ounce of his willpower, the Field Team Leader let go of her wrists and pulled himself from her, releasing onto the grass instead. It'd be selfish to risk a pregnancy in their line of work.

The hunter felt beyond gratified, but the feeling didn't last long.

When he went to tuck himself back into his pants he saw the blood.

His attention snapped back to the Huntress his heart dropped into his stomach.

She was sitting up in the grass, hair disheveled and lip bleeding. Her cheeks were wet with tears and her expression was dazed as she looked at the hand she'd just pulled from between her legs. Her fingers were slick with red.

“Shit.”


	5. E is for Elegant Coralbird

For the first time ever, the Huntress saw the Field Team Leader panic.

“I'm sorry! Fuck! I'm so sorry!”

She noticed that, while he was at her side, he was obviously hesitant to touch her now. His eyes kept flitting from her bleeding lip to her wrists, slowly beginning to bruise.

Some parts of her were sore; others numb; all of her tingly from the after effects of her first orgasm.

Her limbs felt like heavy noodles and after pulling the front of her top back down she let her arms drop into her lap.

“I didn't mean to-”

_I know._

“I didn't know you were..”

_I know._

“I'm so fucking sorry... ”

She knew.

She knew he didn't mean to hurt her. Of course he didn't, but the words could not pass her lips no matter how hard she willed them to.

She tried to discern her own feelings on the matter. Should she be angry at him? Horrified by what he'd done, even if unknowingly? She knew she couldn't be.

She turned to look at the Field Team Leader.

The expression he wore when he looked at her was a mix; distress, concern, nausea when he watched her wipe the blood off her hand absently, but foremost was shame. She was seeing so many emotions on him that she'd never seen before.

She decidedly did not like any of them.

In an ironic reversal of earlier events, it was the Field Team Leader's turn to flinch when she reached out to him. Perhaps he expected her to lash out, but she merely placed a hand flat against the exposed skin of his chest.

He gave her a bewildered look, but didn't move away from the contact.

Under her palm, she could feel his heart pounding erratically.

When she reached down with her remaining hand and grabbed one of his, bringing it up to her own chest, his heart rate nearly doubled.

Sighing, she extended his fingers and placed his hand, palm first against the spot on her breast above her heart.

In comparison her heart rate was calm.

She looked him in the eyes, imploring him to feel and understand.

He shook his head. “How can you be okay?”

She cocked her head to the side.

Because it was him.

Because she had brought him out here.

She had wanted to be close to him and wanted him close to her and even though it'd not gone how she expected she still felt the same when she looked at the man in front of her.

Because she loved him.

As soon as the thought manifested she knew the truth of it.

The Huntress felt his heart beat begin to slow and she released his hand and tried to stand.

She didn't get far before her legs gave out and she fell back to the grass with a confounded expression. Muscles she'd never felt before protested at her movements. A moment later she was swept up off the forest floor by the Field Team Leader.

He deposited her gently on a nearby moss covered log before locating her discarded garments and handing them to her so she could redress, but instead she folded the clothing and placed it next to her on the fallen tree then proceeded to pull her top up over her head and folded that as well. Her shoes were next, placed neatly side by side, until she was naked as the day she was born.

She stood up, now prepared for the ache in her lower half that had felled her previously and quietly approached the ever more bemused Field Team Leader.

She was completely bare now, but he was still wearing most of his armor.

She reached up and began unbuckling the front of his jacket, but he grabbed her wrists, letting go immediately when he remembered her bruises but stopping her nonetheless.

“What are you-”

She pressed a finger to his lips, cutting him off and looked up at him.

Her expression was determined, her amber eye particularly piercing as she held his gaze. After a moment she resumed what she was doing and this time he did nothing to stop her.

Meticulously she undid every buckle and clasp, sliding the braces from his arms then pushing the jacket from his shoulders.

The Field Team Leader didn't understand what was going on.

The direction of events kept switching and he was finding it hard to follow.

He'd been thrilled when she'd kissed him, fucking rapturous when she was beneath him, then he saw he'd hurt her and those feelings were replaced with a self loathing so strong it made him sick.

He was certain he'd irreparably and catastrophically damaged any relationship they had or could have had.

When she'd urged him to feel her heart beat, he'd been overwhelmed by the thought that she would forgive him.

Now she was undressing him and he wondered if maybe he'd fallen face first into a toadstool patch and was now hallucinating, because none of it seemed like it could possibly be reality.

He was down to just his pants and boots when she finally ceased her task.

The Huntress took her time admiring his form. She appreciated every muscle and took note of every scar as her gaze trailed upward until they locked eyes again.

She glanced down to his pants then back to his face.

**Take them off.**

Who was he to refuse?

She didn't wait for him to finish before turning and disappearing through a tangled curtain of vines, though she lifted a beckoning hand before that too vanished behind the foliage.

He knew where she had gone.

Without a discerning look you'd never see it. The greenery around here was thick and everything blended together, but through the vines was a natural pool surrounded by trees and roots tightly twisted together over decades to form a small secret glade of sorts.

The waters were clear from filtering through the dense vegetation and the reservoir was about five feet at its deepest point. Though grown tight at their base, the trees parted in their height, allowing beams of sunlight to break through the canopy.

The scenery looked inviting and so did the Huntress. When he approached the edge of the pool she reached out and took both of his hands stepping backwards into the crystalline waters, leading him.

Once they'd reached the middle she let their hands drop apart and they stood, quietly facing each other; one unable to speak and the other unsure of what to say.

While he obeyed every silent request she asked of him, the Huntress could tell he was still reeling from his mistake, still uncertain of where they now stood.

When she extended her hand out and placed a feather light touch on his hip she could feel his muscles tense. Pressing on, she stepped forward, her arms wrapping around him.

She laid her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes, just holding him.

It was a moment before she finally felt him reciprocate the embrace, his large arms enveloping her smaller frame and she smiled, enjoying the weight of the appendages around her.

He nuzzled the top of her head, speaking into the midnight tresses.

“I want you.”

She was very aware. She could feel the evidence pressing against her.

“I've wanted you for so long..” he continued after a pause. “I lost control. I hurt you. I'm sorry. But I still want you so bad.”

She had no need for any more of his apologies.

She wanted him too, but he'd had his fun.

Now it was her turn.

She trailed her hands up his broad back, then down again letting her nails lightly drag along his skin, producing a shiver from the hunter.

Her fingertips glided across his ribs then up his chest, over his nipples before resting at his shoulders. Leaning up she brought her lips within an inch of his, but compelled him to close the gap, which he did.

Unlike the aggressive fervent kisses from before; this was soft, patient.

There was no rush as they savored each other's taste and explored each other's bodies.

They didn't part until they were both breathless and when they did the Huntress gave him what could only be described as a predatory look.

She pressed closer to him and, her breasts flush against his chest and he felt her hands rubbing at the top of his thighs.

They moved inward, just shy of his arousal and the Field Team Leader moaned in anticipation, but she stopped just short and gave him a impish grin.

His eyes widened. She was teasing him?!

He opened his mouth to say something but the words died on his tongue as she gently took hold of him.

Even in the cool water, his flesh was hot in her hand.

She kissed his jawline and gave a sigh as he ran his hands over every inch of her that he could reach.

She stroked up and down the length of him as she guided him backwards towards shallower water. Once at the bank she knelt down and the Huntress couldn't help but pause for a moment. She'd never performed fellatio before, but she been told stories by her bawdier colleagues and imagined it couldn't be too complicated.

“You don't have to...” The Field Team Leader said, mistaking her hesitation for reluctance.

She shook her head before flicking her tongue out and giving the head an experimental lick.

The hunter sucked in a sharp breath and steadied himself on a nearby tree. Pleased with the reaction, she did it again, this time starting at the base and slowly licking upward. When she reached the end she took the tip into her mouth.

He moaned as she moved and she used the sounds to guide her motions. He was too large to take in her mouth completely so she used her hands as well as she lathered him with her tongue.

“Fuck-” he panted as her warm lips closed around him, sucking delicately. The hand not keeping him stabilized tangled into her hair as her head bobbed and he tried to be mindful of his grip as the pleasurable sensations overcame normal thought.

The things she did with her tongue had his eyes practically rolling back in his skull and he knew he wasn't going to last much longer.

“I'm- _uh_\- I'm going to cum.” he bit out in warning, but she didn't stop or even slow her pace.

He reached his tipping point a minute later as his hips jerked and she finally stilled. Warm fluid filled her mouth.

It didn't taste the greatest, but she swallowed anyway, looking up through her lashes at the spent hunter with a small smile as she did so.

The message was this:

She wanted him, accepted him; every inch, every drop.

His heart pounded as he as he looked at her.

He pulled her up into a crushing kiss, claiming her mouth and the rest of her along with it.

Because she was absolutely magnificent and she was absolutely his.


End file.
